A Wise Summer Break (1)
It was the root of all those incidents—but the food in the first-year lecture hall cafeteria was still delicious.
If Chel hadn't been sitting across from him and Liphy and Leticia hadn't been glued to either side of him, it would've been an even more pleasant meal.
"Guys, can we eat first and talk later?"
"Eat."
"Eat a lot."
"Then give me some space."
"Then answer me first."
"No matter how many times you ask, there's only one answer. I just got lucky—the test questions came from parts I'd memorized."
"That formula only shows up if you read through Volume 1 of the Grimoire? How could you memorize all that? So you're a genius, Ray!"
The twins jabbed at him so he couldn't even get a bite into his mouth.
The Angelium twins really did seem to be early-entry students. Up close, they still had childlike faces. Though sharp and clever, their way of talking like kids came from the harsh days they'd spent training swordsmanship in a strict environment.
I'd read in the earlier draft that the Angelium twins only began to feel freedom and friendship after coming to this school—though Chel wasn't part of that friendship back then.
"Chel, can't you rein them in?"
"Why stop them? They're adorable like this. Besides, I'm curious about how your magic worked. The Circle was only Level 2 in size, but the power rivaled Level 4, didn't it?"
"Heh. You two aren't even training as mages—why are you so interested in magic?"
"We're sword students who focus on condensing ether inside our bodies, while mages spread ether outside. The difference is endlessly fascinating. Heh heh."
"Stop with the pointless commentary and don't put on that smug tone…."
Chel rested her chin in her clasped hands, a glass of white wine before her; she was a girl whose looks were handsome enough that the pose didn't come off as obnoxious.
Celestine Tangfette de Neige—short, gently waving indigo hair, long, silver-dusted eyes, a few shirt buttons undone without a jacket or tie, cuffs rolled up, long slim legs beneath her uniform pants: and an elegant, somewhat androgynous charm.
'She might even be taller than me…'
Just as Cleio was about to give up on the meal—having hardly eaten thanks to the twins' interruptions—a hand pressed lightly on his shoulder. He didn't need to turn to know who it was.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
"…Isiel."
At the fierce presence of the girl swordsman, the twins fluttered back and gravitated toward Chel across the table.
Chel took a sip of wine and showed no sign of wanting to calm things. Her eyes simply glittered.
"You lied to me."
"A lie?"
"You kept insisting you didn't know magic."
"I said I didn't know it, not that I couldn't do it."
Classic grilling strategy: wrong before, right now. Isn't that how people usually play it?
"All right. I'll believe, for now, that you're not part of any particular faction. Sir Arthur said the same, so I'll take that for what it's worth."
Perhaps aware that the cafeteria had quieted to listen, Isiel spoke vaguely.
Loosely translated, it meant: "Arthur claims you're not a spy sent by the first or second princes, so I'll accept it for now—but I remain skeptical and suspect hidden motives."
Front a tiger, back a lion. Cleio wanted nothing more than to disappear under the bright, hungry or murderous or curious gazes of the four girls.
"Then why were you hiding your strength?"
'Why does everyone assume life has to have some grand purpose or mission like they do? Maybe they're just young…'
"Expulsion."
"What?"
"My life goal is to be expelled so I don't have to join the army."
Isiel's expression shifted from blank to startled, then into a solemn gravity.
"…You mean you have some objective so important you'd avoid compulsory service?"
Was she asking if he was some kind of radical or conscientious objector? Cleio inwardly wanted to bang his chest in frustration.
"I do have goals. I want to lounge at a resort hotel forever—champagne in the morning, whiskey at night, twelve hours' sleep every night. Live like royalty and do nothing else."
"This is nothing but a joke! Why did you even enroll here!"
Isiel exploded again, convinced Cleio wasn't serious despite his earnest face.
But Cleio's answer was absolutely sincere—zero percent jest.
"Do you think I joined because I wanted to? Huh?"
Isiel's fists trembled; she wanted to hit him, but she couldn't bring herself to strike the weakling who couldn't even execute a basic sword form properly.
Breathing deeply as if to calm herself, Isiel ground out her words.
"Spending more time talking to you feels pointless. I was deeply impressed by your talent, yet it's a pity such talent resides in someone like you. I still don't understand why Lord Arthur takes such an interest in you."
After dropping her words, Isiel strode out of the cafeteria. Her figure quickly disappeared, and Chel burst out laughing at the sight.
"Oh dear, our Isiel takes everything so seriously."
"That's just how Isiel is."
"What, are you defending her now?"
"I'm just stating a fact."
"Ahaha. You really are like a block of wood. A pretty girl like that is all worked up over you… Anyway, I heard your ambition loud and clear. You like resorts that much? How about I send you an invitation as thanks for the spectacle earlier? My mother owns a hotel by the seaside in Novantes."
"I don't know where that is."
"Have you been living under a rock? You don't know the best beach in Albion? It's vacation soon—come visit. My mother's hotel is quite well-reviewed. A white hotel built atop bright white chalk cliffs."
That description triggered a memory. Chel's mother, Katharina Tangfette de Neige, was the top hotelier in the country. Later, when war breaks out, she'll offer her hotels as field hospitals and gain great renown.
'Before that, she was already famous for cutting-edge service and interior design… the De Neige Hotel.'
Sensing Cleio's subtle interest, Chel pressed her advantage.
"It was originally my grandmother's villa, but around when I was born, it was converted into a hotel. My grandmother's cellar is lined with incredible vintage wines. If you come, I'll serve you champagne every day."
"Chel, I want to go too!"
"Me too! But I like lime sherbet instead of champagne!"
"I want lemonade!"
"My darling Angelium ladies are welcome anytime. Ray, I'll send you an invitation soon—see you in Novantes!"
With that, Chel left with the twins in tow.
Feeling like the wreckage left behind after a storm, Cleio made one firm resolution.
'When I run away from Father, Novantes is one place I'll avoid.'
The first semester had ended.
Final exam results were out.
He'd done it—passed Basic Swordsmanship. He barely managed to sprint 1,000 meters in 4 minutes 59 seconds and scored full marks on the written exam for a total of 50 points.
For History, he memorized every page of the supplementary materials under Behemoth's paw. Ninety-two points.
He nailed the high-value questions but lost marks for not knowing the name of the previous king—and got a scolding from the cat for lacking "basic knowledge."
Classics: eighty-five points. Behemoth kicked him with a back paw for that one.
And Basic Magic: one hundred points.
Thankfully, attendance wasn't part of the grade. He'd skipped nearly all the early lectures, but Zebedee still gave him full marks.
Total: 327 points.
Amazingly, that put him in ninth place.
Normally, Professor Rosa graded generously and Zebedee cut those scores down, but for Cleio, it was the opposite.
He'd seen the ranking board earlier—Isiel Kishion was first again, with 397 points.
'Every day it's either sword training or studying. That girl could stand to relax a little.'
He felt a pang of pity, yet also admiration. For someone that young to have already chosen her life's mission and pursue it relentlessly was impressive.
'Yeah. That's what a loyal retainer worthy of Arthur looks like. You go live your dutiful life—I'll live mine.'
He felt a small pang of guilt over how they'd parted, but what could he do? Once he left the academy, he'd never see that girl again.
At the campus post office, Cleio hummed cheerfully as he wired a telegram to the secretary's office of Aser Trading Company in Colpos:
[Overall Rank: 9th
Request withdrawal freeze lifted and promise fulfilled.]
'You see this, Father? Time to give me my money back.'
With his grades in the top ten, his enlistment would certainly be canceled. Once the freeze was lifted, he'd withdraw every coin and vanish.
A satisfied smile spread across Cleio's face as his plan steadily took shape.
His father's response came swiftly.
The day after the closing ceremony, someone arrived at the academy—looking for Cleio.